Darkness

working down towards
the bottom of a bottle
searching for solace
–
after the rain-
a raven
hewn from coal

the new morning star
betrothed to the coming dawn
dancing with the moon
–
warm spring sun-
a beaming bride
under a shower of rice

staying up all night
just to fall asleep with you
and the breaking dawn
–
frogs in the trees-
rising woodsmoke
staining the sunset

it’s not who I am
this someone in the mirror
but who I became
–
a placid lake-
the moon’s watery
countenance

in the aftermath-
flowers left by the roadside
fading in the sun
–
stippled sunlight-
mushrooms growing
on fallen trees

a blanket of clouds
pulled up tight over my head
shutting out the day
–
morning song-
the reluctance
of wakefulness

roadmaps of black veins
crawl across her damaged arms
recording the hits
–
sheer bliss-
a wasp amid
the rose stems

my bed set adrift
on an ocean of vodka
swells lapping my feet
–
whispering waves-
my head hanging
low off the bow

weary of this need
yearning to see the sun but
your throat, so tempting
–
orion’s belt-
clouds of bats
obscure the moon

holding you tightly
wondering just where you go
when the darkness comes
–
stifling heat-
electric blue veins
dance across the storm